Sellers AdvantageThe Gold Standard in Real Estate 18 January 2022

Choose The Gold Standard in Real Estate


Selling or Buying real estate is competitive! It might surprise you to learn that Century 21 Assurance Realty Ltd. in Kelowna is not the largest real estate office in the Okanagan.  Yet, you see our signs everywhere!  That’s because our team of unique, highly skilled, and fun agents produce results. Agent for agent, our top producers beat out the competition in sales volume and customer satisfaction, year after year*.

Backed by the advanced technology of Elevate21, our team of Realtors are specialists in the Okanagan with hundreds of years of marketing, negotiation, and communication experience. It’s our team approach that works.

If you’re looking to join a high-performing brokerage, choose the Gold Standard in Real Estate… we have time for you!

*CENTURION Award* is given to the top 6% of agents across Canada. 29 agents or 36% of Century 21 Assurance Realty Ltd. agents achieved this mark in 2021.


Home Buyers 20 September 2021

How Do You Market A Property?


How do you market a property?

The best way to market a property is really to take a multi-faceted approach; having a professional photographer, high-resolution pictures, is a must. Secondarily, something we’ve been doing for over two years with all of our listings is to have a virtual tour. Watch to learn more.

 

Home BuyersHome BuyersHome BuyersHome BuyersIn The Community 13 September 2021

NatGeo Home Rediscovered: Trailer


 

Check out more videos on our C21 YouTube channel

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Hot TipsRealtor Knowledge 27 August 2021

Who Is Buying Property?

Who is buying property?

So many people are asking, who’s buying now in the marketplace? The market consists of a whole bunch of different groups of demographics. The millennials are buying and you’ve got the baby boomers…. Watch to learn more.

Hot TipsHot TipsHot TipsHot TipsRealtor KnowledgeRealtor Knowledge 20 July 2021

Why Is Kelowna So Popular?

Why is Kelowna so popular?

Kelowna is a very entrepreneurial environment and it’s based on multiple industries and activities. Obviously, there’s the agriculture, there’s the wineries, the tourism activities, but we also have a strong aviation industry.

Watch to learn more!


Check out our other Blog Posts or take a look at our YouTube Page for more videos like this one.

19 July 2021

Tuesdays and the Power of Local Market Knowledge


Traditionally on Tuesdays mornings across the Okanagan, local agents gather at their real estate offices to share a coffee, learn market stats, local issues, new listings and tips and tricks from their esteemed managing brokers and leaders. Some offices hold these meetings, and some do not. This week, I am reminded of the importance of Tuesday Team Meetings.

July 13, 2021, marks the return of my brokerages’ weekly in-office meetings for agents and support staff. Since March 2020, my office (Century21 Kelowna) has diligently held zoom and or hybrid zoom and in-personal meetings when allowed by the health order. Each week we did our best to connect our agents to fellowship, education, local knowledge, and inspiration. Yet, something is missing from internet webcam meetings.

Realtor® local knowledge and connection to local colleagues, business practices benefit consumers. Agents who attended these meetings, in my opinion, learn more, learn faster and often give their clients better service. To me, Tuesday morning meetings are part of our “great agent recipe.”

What are the benefits for agents and consumers who work with these agents? There are many, and here are my top five.

5) Better problem-solving. I am not talking grade nine math here. Agents are professional problem solvers, and every transaction, home, contract, negotiation or client need can present a unique challenge. Consistently I have been assisted by a comment, habit or suggestion from a colleague during a Tuesday morning office meeting.

4) Motivation. Real estate can be lonely work. Showing homes and writing contracts is exciting work but hundreds of hours organizing paperwork and conducting research and due diligence is more common. So a weekly boost of energy by sharing time with motivated colleagues is essential.

3) Regulatory and Ethics. Each week, it seems, agents in BC have a new rule and a new form. Yet, these rules and forms protect consumers and give the public trust that they will be treated fairly during a transaction. In addition, weekly meetings are one of the best places for my managing broker to impart her knowledge and ethical guidance to our team of agents.

2) Recent Selling and Buying Trends. My office gives agents a chance to share their new listings. We tour a selection of hi-def photos while the agent pitches the unique features of the property. It’s common for most of our office to be exposed to 30 or more new listings each week on Tuesdays alone. Afterward, we talk about buyer needs, upcoming listings, unique clients requests and troubleshooting. Client information stays private, yet knowledge and wisdom are shared.

1) Better Negotiation Skills. I believe our Tuesday morning meetings help make our agents the best negotiators in the valley. Information is power, and up-to-date and accurate information gives our agents an added advantage at the negotiating table for their clients.

Real estate trading (buying and selling) is complex. Realtors are human. Humans need connection. Tuesday are back! Let’s get it on!

Happy negotiating!


Dean Desrosiers
Associate Broker | REALTOR®

CENTURY 21 Assurance Realty Ltd
Agent Development & Recruiting, Commercial

250-863-4707
dean.desrosiers@century21.ca

Real Estate Coach (NORE®)
www.deandesrosiers.com

19 July 2021

Increased Stress for your Stress Test!

There are a lot of different stressors in the world of real estate right now, particularly for those who are
trying to “get in the game” to buy their first home or investment property. On June 1, the Canadian
government will be adding a little more stress to the lives of those looking to purchase real estate.

**Disclaimer: this is not professional mortgage advice. For particulars of your own financial situation,
you should consult with your mortgage broker.**

Now, onto the good stuff.

What is the Stress Test?

The Stress Test was introduced by the Canadian Government in late 2017 as a market control and
mortgage-default prevention measure. Essentially the premise was this, ‘make Buyers qualify at a
higher mortgage interest rate than what they will actually pay so that if/when the interest rates
increase, homeowners won’t suddenly find themselves underwater and defaulting on their mortgage
payments.’ Some logic there, arguably.

Now there are plenty of opinions for and against this move, but that is neither here nor there for today’s
discussion. Today we are talking about what the changes to that stress test are and how they might
impact you.

So, what are the changes?

The current stress test requires that you qualify for a mortgage at your rate plus 2% or 4.79%, which
ever is higher. As of June 1, 2021, all borrowers will have to qualify at the new stress test levels of either
your rate plus 2% or at 5.25% — whichever is higher.

WOWZA!

What does this actually mean for YOU?

Clearly, these changes will have a large impact on borrowers and their capacity to enter the market.
According to the Green Mortgage Team, this change to the Stress Test will “decrease borrowing power
by approximately 4% to 4.5%,”1 depending on the purchaser’s specific situation.

What should you do?

You could buy a bucket of ice cream, close all the blinds in your house, put on some Adele and eat your
sorrows away… or you can call your mortgage broker and find out exactly how this will affect you and if
there are any measures that you can take to counteract the increased Stress Test rates.

If you don’t currently have a mortgage broker and are thinking about getting into the market, call me or
your Realtor and we will be able to direct you to some stellar Mortgage Brokers who can help give clarity
to what these new rules mean, specifically, for you!

 

More Blog Posts

 


Written by: Justina LeeStolz, PREC2

Connect. Local. Community.

1 https://www.greenmortgageteam.ca/mortgage-stress-test/
2 Personal Real Estate Corporation

In The Community 10 July 2021

Clubs For Campers Charity Golf Tournament | July 15

Are you ready to swing your clubs for Easter Seals campers?

The Clubs For Campers Charity Golf Tournament presented by CENTURY 21 Assurance Realty is happening on Thursday, July 15 at Black Mountain Golf Club.

“Proceeds from this tournament will give local children, youth, and adults with disabilities the opportunity to experience Easter Seals summer camps,” said James Gagnon, director of camp programs and facilities at Easter Seals BC/Yukon based out of Lake Country.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly difficult for children and youth with disabilities, many of which have faced increased feelings of isolation and anxiety. This is why this July, we are excited to welcome back our Okanagan community of campers with augmented programming, including day camps and family camps at Camp Winfield, virtual camp programming, and a new Kelowna-based City Adventure Camp.”

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The Clubs For Campers Charity Golf Tournament features 18 holes of golf, food, beverages, activities, and prizes throughout the course.

“We wanted to help raise awareness and funding for Easter Seals expanded camp programs in the Central Okanagan. It also happens to be a fabulous excuse to play golf at an exceptional Okanagan course while having fun with Realtors, clients, and partners in support of individuals with disabilities in our community,” said Anna Carbonne, Managing Partner of CENTURY 21 Assurance Realty.

For more information on the charity tournament and to register online go to www.bit.ly/ClubsForCampers, or contact the tournament coordinator Michelle Webber at 604-612-5086.

 

 

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Consumer Tips For Real Estate 21 May 2021

Unrepresented is no Party…


Did you know that Real Estate Agents in British Columbia are held to the highest standard of conduct under the law in all of North America?

Well, now you know. But what does this mean?

Real Estate Agents in B.C. are fiduciaries. Or, as Miriam Webster explains, “of, relating to, or involving a confidence or trust: such as held or founded in trust or confidence”. It’s a legal and binding relationship similar to Lawyers and Doctors.

In real estate, the relationship is called Agency or a Client Relationship. When it comes to real estate trading, the act of buying and selling real estate, the rules in B.C. stipulate there are only two types of consumers; clients and non-clients. Consumers in BC must choose. Non-clients or “unrepresented parties” are those individuals or entities who do not have an agency relationship with a licensed agent. Non-clients do not have the protection of a fiduciary relationship. They are not owed any special legal duties. Other than their whits, they have no special legal protection under the law. Clients engaged in an agency relationship with a Real Estate Agent in B.C. are entitled to the following special legal duties.

Loyalty – They will act only in the best interests of their client.

Full disclosure – They must share everything they know that may influence a client’s decision in a transaction.

Avoid conflicts of interest – An agent must avoid any situation that would affect their duty to act in their client’s best interest. For example, when working for a seller as a listing agent, it is a conflict for the listing agent to give agency to a buyer.

Confidentiality – An agent must not reveal private information without the client’s permission. This duty extends after the client relationship ends. The duty of privacy includes, but is not limited to, a client’s reasons for buying or selling, their minimum or maximum price, and or any preferred terms or conditions they may want in a contract.

All agents in B.C. are obliged to act honestly and with reasonable care and skill with clients and non-clients. At the same time, buying and selling real estate is a complex venture, and there is no doubt that a skilled agent working closely with a client under these rules is an ideal match for success.

At CENTURY 21 Assurance Realty Ltd, our agents are trained as fiduciaries to the highest standard and looking forward to helping clients navigate the complex and competitive market.

More Blog Posts 


Dean Desrosiers
Associate Broker | REALTOR®

CENTURY 21 Assurance Realty Ltd
Agent Development & Recruiting, Commercial

250-863-4707
dean.desrosiers@century21.ca

Real Estate Coach (NORE®)
www.deandesrosiers.com

Sellers Advantage 7 April 2021

What’s the Matter… Port?

3D Virtual Tour – The New Standard for Home Marketing and Sales

In 2008, CENTURY 21 Assurance Realty Ltd. pioneered high definition(HD) photography for home sales in the Central Okanagan. At that time, the MLS® System allowed just eight photographs in an online listing. Agents would add extra photos to their listings on their personal websites to give interested buyers a more fulsome view. Even so, buyers were often left in the dark about the home’s layout, site lines from each room, and overall feel.
By 2012, the MLS® system allowed up to 20 photos, and today, Realtor.ca allows 50. Excellent progress for sure. Yet, static photos do not tell the entire story.

 

 

In 2018, CENTURY 21 Assurance Realty Ltd pioneered the adoption of the Matterport 3D system across all of its listings. All new listings; every listing when the seller or tenant allows. No other National Brand can make this claim in the Central Okanagan.
Our Matterpoprt camera shoots 360° scans of the home and stitches them together into a seamless online walk-thru. Prospective purchasers can “walk” from room to room, turn corners, look up, down, and even views through windows/patio doors.
More exposure equals more $$$ for our sellers.
With the average onsite viewing lasting less than 15 minutes (source: NAR 2016), buyers can refresh their memory and excitement of a property after the confusion of a rushed showing.
On Realtor.ca, the 3D Matterport software window shows up on the first page. Our clients’ listings look full and detailed. Buyers are reported to spend more time viewing listings that have a 3D Virtual Tour. 74% of agents using Matterport win more listings and 95% of people are more likely to call about properties with 3D Virtual Tours (source: Matterport)
3D Virtual Tour software also allows buyers to visualize the layout of the home better.
We know from our statistical tracking that buyers often upload our HD photos and 3D Virtual Tour software during negotiations.
In certain price ranges, more than 50% of buyers do not live in the Central Okanagan, and homes are often purchased without a viewing. Does this give our sellers an edge in negotiations? I think it does.

 

Dean Desrosiers
Associate Broker | REALTOR®

Century 21 Assurance Realty Ltd
Agent Development & Recruiting, Commercial

250-863-4707
dean.desrosiers@century21.ca

Real Estate Coach (NORE®)
www.deandesrosiers.com